Project Masam has reached a new significant milestone after clearing its 4,500th anti-personnel landmine in Yemen since Masam started its operations in mid-2018.
Since the conflict between Yemen’s pro-government forces and Houthi militias escalated in 2014, liberated strategic areas have been left littered with Houthi anti-personnel mines and anti-tank mines, along with unexploded explosive remnants of war (ERW). Anti-personnel landmines, which production, stockpiling and use of are banned by international law, violate people’s fundamental rights to life, liberty and security. Tragically, civilians are the first victims of anti-personnel landmine explosions.
On 28 January 2022, Project Masam announced it had cleared a total of 4,519 anti-personnel landmines across liberated area in Yemen. This milestone was reached during the week 22 January to 28 January 2022, during which period Masam teams cleared a total of 101 anti-personnel landmines. The demining teams also cleared 2,302 anti-tank landmines during the same week.
Despite this accomplishment, there is still a lot of work left to do to ensure Yemen is made safe again, and our teams are committed to continue their critical human rights and humanitarian mission in Yemen, Masam has said.
